I met my wife at 78… but it’s costing me £250-a-month to support her from 7,000 miles away – I can’t bring her to UK
A PENSIONER barred from moving his Filipino wife into his bungalow says he’s sending her £250-a-month to support her.
Twice-divorced John Ball, 78, married “true love” Anita, 60, in September – just months after meeting on a dating app.
But their fairytale romance became a nightmare earlier this year when the Home Office chucked out Anita’s spousal visa application.
The granddad, from Lancashire, told The Sun: “Everything is in order but because I am retired and earn less than the minimum income, they say she can’t come over here.
“I’m living on the breadline to pay for us. I want love and companionship. It makes me feel terrible.”
Dad-of-two John was single for 13 years and sick of the UK dating scene when pals suggested he join Filipino Cupid.
Do YOU have a dating app story you’d like to share? We PAY for stories! Get in touch: tom.hussey@thesun.co.uk
With nothing to lose, he paid the £10-a-month subscription and got swiping – but potential flames just wanted his money.
Feeling helpless, he took a break before stumbling across widower Anita’s profile and fired off a flirty “hi”.
Their cyber love blossomed and eight months later John found himself on the island paradise of Cebu meeting Anita and her family.
He said of the January 2023 trip: “I was over there for a month. The furthest I’ve ever been is Tunisia.
“From the first time I met her, I felt like I’d known her for years. We got engaged while I was over there.”
WEDDING VIDEO
The granddad returned to the Philippines last August and the pair got hitched in September in a £2,000 ceremony surrounded by family and friends.
In a swish wedding video, John recalls love at first sight while mum-of-one Anita says: “I promise to take care of you for the rest of my life.”
But their forever plans to move in to John’s bungalow in Hesketh Bank, near Preston, were scuppered in January when the Home Office said John was too poor to support his missus.
His £9,600 pension is below the minimum £18,600 combined income needed to get a spousal visa, which would allow Anita to live in the UK.
To complicate matters further, this threshold increased to £29,000 on April 11.
I’m living on the breadline to pay for us. I want love and companionship. It makes me feel terrible
John Ball
John sends £250-a-month to Anita after she lost her right to a widow’s pension – her only source of income – when she got married.
To add insult to injury, he’s already splashed £15,000 of savings on his two trips to the Philippines and paid £1,500 for Anita’s insurance.
Amid thousands in legal fees coughed up during the couple’s three month ordeal, John, a retired stable hand, says he’s penniless.
Speaking from Cebu, Anita added: “They should have told us by the time they saw my husband’s income when we submitted the requirements that it’s not enough.
“But what they did is ask us to continue the costly procedure and then denied it in the end.”
John admits he’d “love” to move to the Philippines but can’t afford the necessary healthcare following a heart bypass.
He told The Sun he’s so desperate to get Anita over to the UK that he’d sell his organs to raise the cash.
However this is not legally viable and could land him in prison.
Anita, who has never been to the UK, added: “More than anything I would really love to take care of my husband.”
The couple are now fighting for their future and hope the government will reconsider the case.
The Home Office said they are unable to comment on individual visa applications.
